New Zealand rugby union star Dan Carter has been named BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year 2015 – after the award was decided by a public vote for the first time.

Carter won from a strong shortlist selected by the Sport Personality of the Year panel, which also included Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, Katie Ledecky, Jordan Spieth and Serena Williams.

The Racing 92 fly-half won the World Rugby Player of the Year award after his performances helped New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup. He was man-of-the-match in the final, scoring 19 points to lead the All Blacks to a 34-17 win over rivals Australia. It was the third time in his glittering career he has been named as the best player in the world.

Carter said: “I’m thrilled to have been voted BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year by the UK public. It’s been an incredible year for me on British soil and the support has been phenomenal. It was an incredibly competitive shortlist and I’m honoured to have been recognised alongside these great sportsmen and women from around the world.”

The Sports Personality of the Year ceremony will take place at The SSE Arena in Belfast on Sunday.

The awards will be hosted by Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan in front of a 7,500-strong audience, the first time the event has been hosted in Northern Ireland.